Beijing makes its voice heard: CCTV expands in the U.S.

The FT today reports on the continuing expansion of China’s CCTV in the United States. “China has started to serve US citizens its own side of the story with CCTV America,” writes the FT’s reporter.

CCTV America, from its studio in Washington, D.C., is part of Beijing’s outreach of telling its own story through its own voice. The expansion has been dramatic and expensive. They are covering stories of Chinese interest that are not covered by Western media or not covered in a way the Chinese want. Such is the purpose and advantage of Government International Broadcasting.

Russia Today, or RT, is the Russian Government’s media channel. It too has expanded significantly in the U.S. to the point surveys should note what cable networks don’t carry RT, rather than inventory what networks do carry it.

Back to CCTV, it was brought to the U.S., and expands in Asia, through IMG, a NYC-based consulting firm. This is no knock on IMG as they can work with who they want, but where is the U.S. in utilizing the capabilities of America’s varsity teams in expanding capabilities abroad?

From my experience, the reality is that we are limited not by law but by imagination that in turn limits our agility. What do you think?